William Scott was devoted to painting still-life throughout his career. During the post war years, these compositions were received with great acclaim as Scott became a key figure in progressive British art. Portraying the reality of the kitchen, they would typically comprise the likes of fish, eggs, lemons and various kitchen utensils on a defined tabletop. Green beans first seem to appear in his canvases in the late 1940s and perhaps the best-known example is Still Life with Colander (Private Collection) executed in 1948. For the next thirty years some of his most important and impressive paintings centred on still-life, however, by the 1970s the style of them had changed considerably. In his literature on the artist, Norbert Lynton comments:

'The main difference between these late paintings and their early precursors is of course the new works' concentration on just a few items: a fish on a plate where there were several, a plate with a few green beans where they would have been accompanied by many other kitchen items. The tabletop is almost always up-ended now to fill the surface as a ground, and thus loses its connotation. An exception is Orchard of Pears No. 6 (1976-77), in which three pears are on a plate and two are beside it, on a grey ground that may represent a table.' (Norbert Lynton, William Scott, Thames and Hudson, London, 2004, p.354).

In keeping with Lynton's observations, Still Life on Brown with Beans simply incorporates four vertical beans and a bowl. Whilst it is likely the brown background is representative of a tablecloth, this is not implicit and the movement of a bean off the canvas together with the linear nature of the bowl lends a minimalist abstraction to the picture.

Bonhams' November sale achieved a number of high profile records, including the highest price in London that week within a sale of Modern British Art - Allies by Lawrence Holofcener fetched an impressive £409,250. The department are especially proud to have secured a new world auction record for Walter Richard Sickert. Painted circa 1904, Woman in Profile with Downcast Eyes was discovered in Australia and following intense bidding realised £229,250. Irish Art fared well too, with Paul Henry's charming Old-Age Pensioners going for £109,250 while Colin Middleton's iconic Muriel fetched £70,850 – both finding Irish buyers.

The next auction will take place on 29 May and closes for entry in April. Already consigned are museum quality works that are fresh to market by LS Lowry, FE McWilliam and Edward Seago, among others.

For confidential advice or valuations please contact a member of the department. Our London-based specialists travel throughout the UK and in 2013 and will also be visiting locations including Ireland, South Africa, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Australia.

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